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On the third floor of the book depository, there had clearly been a major fire. The ground was nothing but charred books and paper, and a fine soil that was obviously what remained of many of the books that had burned completely.

Some brilliant graffiti artist created this "book phoenix" rising from the ashes. So beautiful.

The story of what happened here
Blog post about the book depository here

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Comments

saradickens says:

These shots of rotten books and fire-ravaged ruins, and especially this art, are truly moving. Just...WOW.
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

Nicky Thomas says:

wow. thats just amazing
Posted 26 months ago. ( permalink )

Erin Lady Byrne says:

You better look out, doesn't Candyman live there?
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

seekingwoman says:

Thank you for sharing this. And I do agree with the comment (on your blog) about it being more sad when there is social decay. I think in Detroit's case, it is obvious that the architectural decay is directly linked to the social decay. Probably is the case nearly everywhere - which is why it makes so many people "sad" or uncomfortable to look at these types of pictures.

But, this book phoenix? Incredible. Unexpected hope.
Posted 25 months ago. ( permalink )

radzilla says:

absolutely love this shot. everything about it. i would totally have this blown up and framed.
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

etaoing says:

that's a great shot, and great graffiti.

I would love a larger size to use as my desktop picture!
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

Simon Harb says:

amazing set of photographs
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

bumblesweet says:

I think we are saddened by such visible physical decay as it reflects the social decay- something much harder for us to grasp....
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

dav says:

I love this piece, bravo.
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

esmatt_65 says:

Though it's sad to see the ruination it's wonderful to be reminded of the design and architecture that went into the buildings of yester yore. Sylvia in Anchorage, Alaska
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

Nat W says:

This photograph, along with the rest of this set, is amazingly moving. Is there any chance you will enable all sizes so we can see larger views?
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

sweet juniper says:

sorry, I really wish I could, but the only way to do that would be to make them creative commons, and I've been burned by too many companies who think "creative commons" means "free stock photography." if there's a particular shot you'd like to see bigger, e-mail or flickr-mail me and I'll pass along a bigger version.
Posted 24 months ago. ( permalink )

sighmon says:

beautiful. :)
Posted 23 months ago. ( permalink )

ashtonpar says:

that's why the building was left empty, because there was a rather large fire in the 80's, and due to insurance weirdness the DPS wasn't allowed to go back in, but then it just sat there after the claim had been filed.
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

sweet juniper says:

no, it was not left empty. it looks the way it does today because your buddy matty moroun left it wide open for scrappers to rip it apart for half a decade.

read here to learn what actually happened.
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

ashtonpar says:

actually i was quoting your article before I realized you wrote it. You don't know when he purchased it. Could be the same as MCS. When Matty purchased MCS it was the same as it was today. Stripped, empty, abused, and sad. It was without a fence until Maroun got to it. Now while he hasn't done the best he can (obviously) it's more than the previous owner did, hiring security guards then losing the money and leaving it open to the elements.

Find out when he purchased the building and some photos of the year when he purchased it see how it looked then and then we'll talk, I agree Matty is not the best land owner, but the state of MCS all happened prior to his ownership.
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

sweet juniper says:

your pal is in the news again today, for writing "gift" checks to carlita kilpatrick and the little princes.

I couldn't figure out when Matty bought the warehouse because your oligarch buddy used a series of holding companies to acquire the building. And as I'm sure you know, a Moroun-affiliated entity acquired the MCS as part of a debt repayment.

I first visited the station in 1999 and I have been inside numerous times throughout matty's ownership and I can tell you from experience that your fantasy about matty "doing his best" undermines every noble effort you've made with respect to the station. under his stewardship many important parts of the station have been severely neglected and damaged and if you want specifics I can give them to you. your weird adulation for him is never going to make most of us change our opinions formed by actual evidence. I understand you met a billionaire and he seemed like a nice old man, but no amount of anecdotal reports from the moroun box at ford field are ever going to convince me that there's not a special place in hell reserved for matty moroun based on what I've witnessed this man do to this city. and I hope dan stamper is there to empty the old bastard's colostomy bag for eternity.

you seem like a nice guy. I read the back and forth about you on some website and felt some of it was unfair. but if you continue as a Moroun apologist unwilling to recognize certain realities, the naivete will get in the way of effectiveness. there are a lot of smart people in Detroit who care about that station who would be on your side if Matty's withered nuts didn't spend so much time in the vicinity of your tonsils.

you want me to find photos of the interior of the book depository before matty owned it? Motherfucker I was in there dozens of times with scrappers tearing that thing apart. I don't need to see photos from 1988. I just needed to walk through the many holes matty left in that building to see the damage as it was occurring during his tenure as owner. it took a dead man upside-down in an elevator shaft all over the national news to get your buddy to finally cover up those holes.

Trust me: the more you kiss that man's ass, the less credibility you have. People will just assume he's writing you checks.
Posted 2 months ago. ( permalink )

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Comments

saradickens says:

Nicky Thomas says:

Erin Lady Byrne says:

seekingwoman says:

radzilla says:

etaoing says:

Simon Harb says:

bumblesweet says:

dav says:

esmatt_65 says:

Nat W says:

sweet juniper says:

sighmon says:

ashtonpar says:

sweet juniper says:

ashtonpar says:

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Detroit Public Schools Book Depository/ Roosevelt Park Warehouse (Set)

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